Supporting physiology learning: the development of interactive concept-based video clips

Abstract

THE ACCOMMODATION of diverse student learning approaches and maintenance of good academic outcomes are often difficult to achieve in university courses, particularly where large classes are concerned. These issues become even more significant when dealing with first-year students in science courses with high levels of factual and conceptual content (18). In this report, we describe the construction and use of pedagogically sound, yet inexpensive, video clips that can be used to support learning of physiology concepts. To avoid confusion, we have used the term "video clip" with specific reference to concise, audiovisual presentations generally Ͻ15 min in length (15) rather than the more general term "podcast" (3-5, 9, 13). A feature of the video clip design was the addition of interactive components that suggested the viewer engage in some form of active learning. The video clips were designed to support student learning in a large (n ϭ 177) Biomedical and Physical Sciences course mainly concerned with human anatomy and physiology. Access to the video clips was optional, and the students also had access to other online learning resources that included "whole lecture" Lectopia recordings (50 min recordings, audio plus PowerPoint slides), multiple-choice questions (MCQs; WebLearn), and an in-house-designed "interactive anatomy atlas." Students were able to access the video clips via the RMIT University BlackBoard system, which also incorporated a tracking function to measure student access to resources. The tracking system only provided information about online access and did not distinguish between online access and downloading of the videos. Some insight into the effectiveness of the clips was provided by the tracking data and by completion of a paper-based question (using a 5-point Likert scale). This work formed part of a comprehensive study evaluating student access and the use of a range of anatomy and physiology online resources. The study was approved by the Human Ethics Committee of RMIT University, and 105 student volunteers (59% of the class) agreed to participate.

Home-based vs. laboratory-based practical activities in the learning of human physiology: the perception of students

“…Nonetheless, practices occasionally need to be adequate according to the available resources and the structure of the laboratory/room/university, which has made professors use alternative methods of practical teaching (16,18) or other methods instead. Some inexpensive methods, such as the use of video clips (11), puzzles (17), and other games (4), can be interesting alternatives. All of these strategies require creative work and planning by the professor and also should be based on evidence to ensure that professors are improving the teaching process (14).…”

Uzamsal Becerilerin Geliştirilmesi İçin Üç Boyut İçerikli Etkileşimli Videoların Kullanılabilirliğine Yönelik Bir İnceleme

“…Furthermore, it was agreed upon shortening the length of the narration, supporting the environment with cute characters, integrating the content to daily life problems and eliminating the language errors for further interactive videos.The evaluation of interactive videos also indicated that these videos would improve the development of basic mathematical skills (problem solving, communication and reasoning) as well as some high-order thinking skills (predicting and critical thinking). Guy et al (2014) stated that the interactive video supports the learning by providing active learning at the participant side. According to the specialist participated to the study, these videos could be used in geometry and measurement, numbers and operations, algebra and data analysis learning areas.…”

Use of Feedback-Oriented Online Exercises to Help Physiology Students Construct Well-Organized Answers to Short-Answer Questions

“…Especially worthy of note was the use of real-life clinical and physiological scenarios to capture attention, motivate learners, and provide contextual relevance. Finally, and with regard to Gagné’s seventh and ninth events, the provision of immediate instructional feedback that addressed both the correct answer and the distractors, in contrast to simply an indication of whether the answer chosen is correct or incorrect, has been shown to be important to students and to promote both knowledge retention and transfer ( Moreno, 2004 ; Mason and Rennie, 2008 ; Guy et al. , 2014 ).…”